Summary: Act III, scene ix

Summary: Act III, scene x

Enobarbus describes the sea fight he has just witnessed:
Antony’s forces were winning the battle until Cleopatra’s ship fled
without warning and Antony followed her. The fleet was thrown into
confusion, and the victory went to Caesar. Antony’s soldiers are
sickened by the sight, one of them declaring that he has never seen
anything so shameful. Camidius defects to Caesar’s side, bringing
his army and following the lead of six of Antony’s royal allies,
but Enobarbus, against his better judgment, remains loyal to his
general.

Summary: Act III, scene xi

Deeply ashamed of his performance in battle, Antony berates
himself, ordering his servants to leave the service of such an unworthy master.
He urges them to abandon Antony as Antony has abandoned his nobler
self. When Cleopatra enters, she finds her lover distraught and
alone. She tries to comfort him, but Antony can remind her only
of his valiant past: it was he who won fierce battles, who dealt
with the treacheries of Cassius and Brutus. But now, he determines,
such events do not matter. He asks Cleopatra why she has led him
into infamy, and she begs his forgiveness, saying that she never dreamed
that he would follow her retreat. He asks her how she could doubt
that he would follow her, when his heart was tied to her rudder.
Antony complains that he must now seek young Caesar’s pardon, but
unable to bear the sight of the queen’s sorrow, he forgives her.
As Antony kisses Cleopatra, he remarks that even her mere kiss repays
him for his shame.

Summary: Act III, scene xii

Caesar is with Dolabella and Thidias, two of his supporters,
when Antony’s ambassador arrives with his master’s request: Antony
asks to be allowed to live in Egypt or, barring that, to “breathe
between the heavens and earth, / A private man in Athens” (III.xii.14–15). The
ambassador further delivers Cleopatra’s request that Egypt be passed
on to her heirs. Caesar dismisses Antony’s requests but declares
that Cleopatra will have a fair hearing so long as she expels Antony
from Egypt or executes him. He sends Thidias to lure Cleopatra to
accept these terms, hoping that she will betray her lover.

Summary: Act III, scene xiii

Enobarbus tells Cleopatra that the defeat was not her
fault since Antony could have chosen to follow reason rather than
lust. The ambassador returns with Caesar’s message: Antony declares
that he will challenge his rival to one-on-one combat. Enobarbus
meditates on such a course of action, but decides that if he remains
loyal to Antony he might be able to attack Caesar, if Caesar kills
Antony. Meanwhile, Thidias arrives to tell Cleopatra that Caesar
will show her mercy if she will relinquish Antony. The queen concedes
that she embraced Antony more out of fear than love and declares
Caesar a god to whom she will bow down. Just then, Antony enters
in a fury and demands that Thidias be whipped. He then turns to
Cleopatra and rails at her for betraying him. The queen protests
that she would never betray him, which satisfies Antony. Antony’s
fleet has reassembled, and much of his land forces remain intact,
ready to attack Caesar again. Enobarbus, who has observed this scene,
decides that he has been faithful to Antony long enough. He feels
that Antony’s mind is slipping and that he must abandon his master.